Have you ever sat through a debate and said, "I think they're arguing the same thing."
When it comes to content marketing strategy, both quality and quantity are trying to engage customers and drive them further down the buyer's journey. They just have different ways of getting there.
But producing tons of content doesn't have to mean you're only shipping trash. And creating valuable content doesn't stop you from producing it in bulk.
So while you may have strong feelings one way or another, it's important to note the advantages to both. We're going to uncover the perks of each methodology and help you decide the best route for business.
The Best Recipe for Your Content Marketing Strategy
First, you add a wall of text, a batch of images, and a dash of keywords -- then voila!
If only it were that easy.
The truth is, there's no perfect combination of efforts to create the content marketing results you're looking for. Much of it depends on your audience, your niche, and your branding.
But even though you can't look this up your grandmother's recipe book, understanding the basic concepts will help you create the content marketing strategy you need.
The Case for Quality
Quality content is both relevant and valuable. With so many businesses using content marketing as a strategy, the overall quality increases naturally, making it more important to focus on your own. Thus, even if you were to focus solely on creating a higher quantity of material, you would need to pay some attention to quality, or your readers will leave you for your competition.
Creating quality content shows you understand your customer's needs and you're listening to them. It's pivotal in customer-centric marketing and something every company should strive for.
Data-wise, quality content shows that customers are actually reading and engaging with your content. This increases their time on page and the chances that they'll check out another article. The latter also means a lower bounce rate for your site.
Finally, one of the most important benefits of quality material is that you're creating a higher chance to attract more qualified visitors. Rather than people stumbling across your site because you have so much content, the viewers who find you are there because they want an answer you're staged to present.
A Plea for Quantity
The quantity-based approach means more reach. You're essentially casting a wider net and hoping to catch a few that you're looking for, even if you have to sort through hundreds of others.
Because you have so much content, your SEO strategy has the potential to link to more internal articles, which can give each page a slight boost. It's important to note that just having a lot of material won't help your SEO unless you use it correctly.
Quantity means you'll receive better ROI on advertisements if you have more pages on which they're displayed. This is why you find those annoying articles that separate each bullet of their listicles onto different pages. Every time you click 'next' you're giving them another impression for their ads.
While your unique visits may be high, you'll find your bounce rate is too. This data shows there's less value on your pages, even if you did find a few qualified visitors.
Getting it Just Right
It's 2019 and everyone is creating content. Even outside of your competitor circle, someone (maybe just a blogger in his parent's basement) is trying to monetize your audience. Someone is going to create content. You need to create quality content just to not be left in the dust. But, if you want to win, you need to find a way to marry quantity with quality.
Do you want more help with your Inbound Marketing Strategy? Maybe you just want to ensure you're planning it right. Either way, Conquering the Inbound Marketing Mountain is worth a look. This free guide provides you with everything you need to know about Inbound goal setting, defining and detailing personas, and covers the key components of your editorial calendar. Did we mention it's free?
Chris a digital marketer at Lean Labs. He enjoys strategizing and creating content that drives results. When not typing away, Chris is exploring nature with his two daughters, wife, and dogs.
